April 29, 2007

Box Score

Towson, Md. - The George Mason baseball team scored six runs in an inning for the second straight day but that was all the offense that the Patriots could muster as Towson scored three in the fifth and two in the sixth to beat Mason, 7-6 and avoid a sweep. Kyle Skellchock hit for the cycle for Towson as Mason fell to 23-21 overall and 12-10 in Colonial Athletic Association action. Towson improved to 17-23, 8-12.

Mason trailed 1-0 after the first as Kevin Collins walked and Skellchock singled to put runners on the corners. Ryan Schreiter singled home Collins for the one-run lead. The scored stayed that way until the third when Mason scored six runs. Before Saturday, Mason had not scored as many as six runs in an inning since March 10 but they did it for the second straight day.

With one out, Brent Weiss and Spencer Wiggins drew back-to-back walks. Chris Fournier's grounder to shortstop Nick Natoli was thrown was misplayed allowing the bases to be loaded. Scott Krieger's sacrifice fly made it 1-1. Justin Bour walked to reload the bases and Jason Bour hit a two-run single down the left field line. Chris Henderson walked to again load the bases and Chris Romanow singled throw the right side to score another pair of runs. Dan Palumbo walked to load the bases and Brent Weiss drew his second walk of the inning to score Henderson. That ended Towson starter Wes Schifflett's day and Tyler Travis came on in relief to get the final out of the inning.

The pitching change proved critical as Towson relievers allowed just two hits and two walks over the final six and one-third innings. Both those walks came in the ninth.

Towson started its comeback in the third with Collins hitting a single to center, going to third on a Skellchock double and scoring on Brian Conley's sacrifice fly. Down 6-2 in the fifth, Hans Falkenhan doubled and Skellchock homered to make it 6-4. Conley followed with a homer to cut the Mason lead to one.

In the sixth, with Ryan Brecko on in relief, Towson mounted a two-out rally. Collins was hit by a pitch, Falkenhan walked and Skellchock hit a triple, becoming the second player in Towson history to hit for the cycle. That gave the Tigers a 7-6 lead that it wouldn't relinquish. Mason had a chance in the ninth as Wiggins singled with one out to put the tying run on base. Fournier followed hitting a ball down the leftfield line for what was originally called a home run. The home plate umpire overruled the call and Fournier settled for a walk. That's when reliever Jon Dupski struck out Krieger and Justin Bour to end the game.

The Patriots next take the field on Wednesday when they host Temple at Spuhler Field at 3 p.m.